Upgrade or new bike?

iand-83

Trying to decide if I should replace my bike with a 650b or 29er or spend a few quid upgrading my Specialized Rockhopper pro 2008 model.

The only bits on my current bike that are poor are the Avid juicy 3 brakes are rubbish and I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel since fitting a 180mm disc so thinking about getting a fork running a maxle. Upgrades work out to be about £500-600 where as a new bike would probably be double that.

Tom Barton

Buy Shimano Deore disc brakes for £60 (they'll eclipse the avids).
Service the fork - (probably just stripping it down, a good clean and new oil will make it near new).

Save your money up and get something really nice rather than half measures

iand-83

I have been toying with the idea of spending about £2k on a full sus xc bike but not sure if it would be too much bike for what I need.

The latest deore brakes do look good and at a good price too, look easier to bleed over the Avids too.

Matt-r8

If we all bought bikes for what we needed them for or our abilities, most of us wouldn't need anything more than £1k bike, myself included.

HebdenBiker

Mate, I've just sold my Rockhopper for an Orange 5 and it has transformed my riding. If you're considering dropping £2k on a FS bike, get a test ride or two but be warned, you'll end up buying one

kammybear

I agree with the person who said no half measures.

Spend £60 on the deore brakes as a short term measure as they are supposed to be awesome!

Save up and get a beast for 2k in the sales.

iand-83

HebdenBiker wrote:

Mate, I've just sold my Rockhopper for an Orange 5 and it has transformed my riding. If you're considering dropping £2k on a FS bike, get a test ride or two but be warned, you'll end up buying one

I am considering it but it's a minefield of choice out there of what to buy! I do like the full sus idea but no idea if that will be most suitable for the kind of trails I ride, mostly bridleways etc and places like Thetford.

kammybear wrote:

I agree with the person who said no half measures.
Spend £60 on the deore brakes as a short term measure as they are supposed to be awesome!
Save up and get a beast for 2k in the sales.

I probably won't be out much on the bike between now and the new year which is when I am planning on getting a new bike as I need to shift a road bike first and my current mountain bike.

paul.skibum

A good trail or xc oriented full susser is suited to bridleways and thetford - do you need it? No

Do you want it? Sure you do!

Should you buy it? Only you can decide that!

Rockhopper with a couple hundred dropped on it would remain a good bike - fork service, new brakes and perhaps a little bar/stem upgrade to improve the position/controls could transform your riding but then so could a nice little Giant Trance from Pauls Cycles at 1500 quid! (I am in no way connected to Paul's Cycles I just happened to see that they had them on sale!)

The Rookie

Upgrade with newer used parts, no need to splurge out on brand new parts for a 5yo bike, just get the right part that does the job, though in the case of brakes, Deores are probably just as good as 4 year old XT and cost te same price but are new.

Giraffoto

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

iand-83

Giraffoto wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

I think it's possibly flex in the wheel itself it seems to twist if you hold the break on and rock the bike back and forwards.

iand-83

paul.skibum wrote:

A good trail or xc oriented full susser is suited to bridleways and thetford - do you need it? No

Do you want it? Sure you do!

Should you buy it? Only you can decide that!

Rockhopper with a couple hundred dropped on it would remain a good bike - fork service, new brakes and perhaps a little bar/stem upgrade to improve the position/controls could transform your riding but then so could a nice little Giant Trance from Pauls Cycles at 1500 quid! (I am in no way connected to Paul's Cycles I just happened to see that they had them on sale!)

I think you have summed it up well! I probably don't need a new bike but very much want to maybe treat myself to something nice, just the problem is so many nice bikes to choose from!

The Rookie

Iand-83 wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

I think it's possibly flex in the wheel itself it seems to twist if you hold the break on and rock the bike back and forwards.

The brake operates on the hub, so any twist isn't in the wheel but between fork and hub, check the skewers!

iand-83

The Rookie wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

I think it's possibly flex in the wheel itself it seems to twist if you hold the break on and rock the bike back and forwards.

The brake operates on the hub, so any twist isn't in the wheel but between fork and hub, check the skewers!

The skewer is done up nice and tight but not over tight, dunno if it's flex in the fork or not, might try another skewer first.

Tom Barton

Sorry I'm late back - see how the bike feels with the new brakes first. Better, more controlled braking may make the front end feel a bit better.

As for choice. Choice is great if bewildering! First, decide what sort of things your likely going to be riding most and what you'd like to do and may end up riding occasionally.

If its bridleways with the odd XC adventure, a very high quality carbon fibre hardtail with good kit and fork will be easily within a 1.5-2k budget. If there's going to be a bit of trail centre or some more challenging rides involved - a good trail bike that perhaps leans more to the xc side of things but can still manage some rough really well when it has too (someone mentioned a giant trance - great bike) would be a good choice.

A couple of test rides on different types of bikes may help you decide what you want (plus its awesome to ride lots of nice bikes )

The Rookie

Iand-83 wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

I think it's possibly flex in the wheel itself it seems to twist if you hold the break on and rock the bike back and forwards.

The brake operates on the hub, so any twist isn't in the wheel but between fork and hub, check the skewers!

The skewer is done up nice and tight but not over tight, dunno if it's flex in the fork or not, might try another skewer first.

It's pretty much impossible to over tighten a conventional skewer, it should leave a white mark on your hand when you do it up, so suspect it's not tight enough.

paul.skibum

The Rookie wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

Iand-83 wrote:

I have noticed lots of flex from the front wheel

Before you chuck a fortune at a fork, try a Shimano Q/R skewer. I had a very similar problem once, and it was down to insufficiently strong skewers.

I think it's possibly flex in the wheel itself it seems to twist if you hold the break on and rock the bike back and forwards.

The brake operates on the hub, so any twist isn't in the wheel but between fork and hub, check the skewers!

The skewer is done up nice and tight but not over tight, dunno if it's flex in the fork or not, might try another skewer first.

It's pretty much impossible to over tighten a conventional skewer, it should leave a white mark on your hand when you do it up, so suspect it's not tight enough.

Of course you can over tighten it (to the point you damage it) and one mans "leave a white mark" is so open to misinterpretation its ridiculous. Should need pressure to close for sure but not to the point it is hurting your hand!

Giraffoto

paul.skibum wrote:

. . . one mans "leave a white mark" is so open to misinterpretation its ridiculous. Should need pressure to close for sure but not to the point it is hurting your hand!

With respect, your version is every bit as vague - you may have tougher hands than I have. A slightly less vague version is to get the skewer tightened up so that the lever meets resistance when it's sticking straight out from the hub, and then push it over the remaining right angle to lock it - this works pretty well with a Shimano skewer.